With a wink to the crowd, a slight bend at the knee and a ceremonious change into the royal blue presidential robes, Dr. Neil Fassina was installed as the eighth president of Athabasca University on Jan. 11.
About 200 dignitaries, local government representatives, university faculty members and delegates from other institutions were at the Athabasca Regional Multiplex for the installation ceremony and the catered lunch served in field house shortly afterward.
Alberta Advanced Education Minister Marlin Schmidt was among the well-wishers, bringing greetings on behalf of the province.
“It’s been a long time since there’s been a permanent president in place, and that’s created a lot of questions of the future of this institution,” Schmidt said. “I think today is a symbol of stability and a bright future for the university here in Athabasca.”
Those two words – “bright future” – were tossed around like candy on Wednesday.
Margaret Mrazek, interim chair of AU’s board of governors, said in her welcome address that the installation of Fassina not only marks an end to a presidential transition process, “But more importantly, it is a new beginning, a beginning of what I believe is a very bright future for this university.”
Athabasca County Reeve Doris Splane said it has been a pleasure over the past few months to get to know Fassina, who he stepped into office on Oct. 11.
“Here in the land of the whispering hills, your vision and your leaderships for AU is inspiring as you begin this exciting and challenging new chapter in the Athabasca University story,” she said.
In his few months as president, Fassina said he has stuck to one of his original commitments that he would hit the ground listening, in an effort to fully understand issues faced by the university.
Schmidt said Fassina has “done a really good job of reaching out to everybody, and showing that he cares.”
In regards to the university’s financial woes, Fassina said there are teams across campus currently working on an executive plan to work into the budget, with the vision of not only being financially sustainable, but long-term sustainable.
